At Play: People's Court

On The Tennis Court, You Gotta Love It

Sport Accommodates Array Of Skill Levels

April 29, 1992

DAILY PRESS — It's a lazy spring afternoon. As you and your buddies relax in the living room, you change channels to a tennis match.

You watch as Andre Agassi cracks a sizzling, untouchable forehand down the line. Or as Boris Becker whizzes a 130-mph serve by a helpless foe. Or as Monica Seles shrieks while blasting a two-handed backhand winner from an impossible angle. Or as Martina Navratilova sends her opponent into the box seats with a wicked slice serve.

Looks easy, doesn't it?

The racket is a big hitting implement, especially compared to a baseball bat. Your side of the court is only 39 feet long and 27 feet wide. All of a sudden, you think: Let's do it. Let's go out to the local courts and ``hit a few.''

Fortunately for area tennis enthusiasts, the Peninsula area provides ample facilities and opportunities for everyone from the raw beginner to the budding pro.

Drive a mile or two and you'll probably see some courts. Most of them are public facilities, and most private clubs have some as well.

Assuming you're in decent physical condition, just wear loose clothing, make sure you have a racket and balls - which are available at almost any department store - and get in the car.

But don't expect to imitate your TV heroes right away. Most people, when they first start playing, hit with each other. According to Kevin Brandalik, director of tennis at the Hampton Tennis Center, that may not be the best plan.

``Initially, the best situation is to take lessons,'' said Brandalik, one of many nationally certified teaching professionals in the area. ``Otherwise, the bad habits develop and people get frustrated. That's probably how we lose 60 percent of tennis players.''

Tennis participation probably was at its highest level of popularity during the mid-1970s - the ``tennis boom.'' Interest leveled off some in the '80s, but that's no detriment; that means there are more courts open whenever you want to play.

If you're just experimenting with tennis, you don't need to pay exorbitant fees for flashy rackets or clothing. Most department stores have rackets that can get you started.

When you get to the court and decide to start hitting, it might be a good idea to start at the service line instead of the baseline. The closer you are to the net, the easier it is to control the ball and improve your touch.

``A big mistake a lot of people make is going back to the baseline,'' Brandalik said. ``Hit a lot of balls up close, then work your way back. That's the biggest thing for the beginners.''

Another great idea to help develop consistency quickly is to hit against a wall or backboard, which are behind many courts in the area. You get to hit a lot of balls in a short time period. The wall never misses, so it forces you not to. The only thing a wall can't do is tell you how deep your shot would have landed in the court.

You don't have to be on a tennis court to use a wall. Once, a youngster from Sweden learned to play by hitting balls against his garage door. He pretended he was playing Davis Cup for his country against the United States. If he got the ball back over the ``net'' a certain number of times, Sweden won the point; if he didn't, the U.S. won the point.

That boy became one of the best baseliners in tennis history, winning six French Opens and five Wimbledons. His name: Bjorn Borg.

Another interesting element of tennis is doubles. If you can round up four people, you can have a good time on one court. Doubles is faster and has plenty of angled shots, and it brings teamwork into play. It's less of an ego trip than singles, but it's often more fun.

In general, tennis provides friendly competition and a stimulating workout. With, at most, one other person on your side of the net, you rarely have to worry about getting injured in a collision - unlike football, basketball or baseball.

The only major areas of concern physically are feet, knees and arms. Tennis is a motion game, so it's important to wear good-fitting shoes.

It's also crucial to hit the ball correctly so the shock of impact doesn't travel up your arm, leading to the dreaded ``tennis elbow.''